Lets talk about misleading stats from PSU game.
I thought the offense showed some good things but referencing the total yards and first downs to PSU is misleading at best. Why would PSU take unnecessary risk throwing the football when they were up 14 pts on UM after the 1st quarter. Especially since UM tends to blitz a lot.
Why would PSU think UM was capable of long drives and score td's. It was in their self interest not to throw a lot and/or score. In fact, doesn't the last drive prove on some level that UM couldn't finish off the drive to tie the score.
I thought this was the best performance from UM in a long time in a road environment. Something that can be laid as a foundation going forward. I don't think UM outplayed PSU at all. PSU played as well as they needed to win.
An equivalent example would be the last SB between the Patriots and Rams. The Patriots didn't need to throw the ball a lot since the Rams weren't doing anything to warrant taking more risk. You play to win the game and PSU had a big enough lead at home to be conservative. In fact, once UM cut it to 7 points then PSU immediately scored on the next drive.
Here is a game today where the Seahawks won the overall statistical game but not the scoreboard.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/matchup?gameId=401127985
Onto Notre Dame. I am encouraged and look to a solid performance by UM.
October 20th, 2019 at 11:54 PM ^
Let's not.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:13 AM ^
Yeah, lets not talk about stats that dont matter. The L is the only thing that matters. Also getting outscored 63-3 under Harbs in the first quarter of big road games.
Brutal
**Edit: I love how I get negged for stating facts. Looks like the moral victory crowd has signed on in mass
October 21st, 2019 at 8:51 AM ^
Yeah, you're only getting negged because you brought facts. Not because you unilaterally decided what gets to be the things that matter.
If you tried to present your argument in a non-assholish way, maybe you wouldn't get negged.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
I didn't neg you for stating facts. I negged you for "Harbs".
Also if the L is the only thing that matters, then first quarter scores in big road games (for which your don't provide a definition) shouldn't be important unless you're just tailoring numbers to be an asshole; which of course, you are; ergo the negging.
October 21st, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
Ok, ferris, fair enough.
The 63-3 is to point out the fact that what ever he is doing to prepare for good road opponents isnt working because we are getting slapped around as if we are completely unprepared. The time out before the first play from scrimmage, miscommunications etc....
Its a trend
October 21st, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^
*en masse
October 20th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
The last drive proves that if the refs let you tackle receivers in the middle of their routes, you can get stops that you don't deserve.
And you're an idiot. Eye test says that we outplayed them for the bulk of the game. They weren't being conservative. They were being shut down.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:06 AM ^
If you shut down a team from having long, sustained drives by gambling and exposing yourself to three or four long touchdown plays ... I don't think you're really shutting anyone down. Plus, at least two of those "shut downs" were PSU mistakes. The underthrown ball with Uche in coverage probably should've been a TD, and the TE wide open in the middle of the field for a first down when no Michigan player affected the throw or the route. They just missed twice, luckily.
October 21st, 2019 at 5:52 AM ^
Well that goes both ways. Multiple drops by Michigan and Shea misreads were throughout. Gotta play both sides.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:09 AM ^
Horrible take, you could say that Michigan getting lined up slowly on the long Hamler TD is the only reason they let him get to the house.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^
My Man Hawkins was right behind Uche in a bracket. It was a great defensive call. Some of you forget Uche is a LB with speed. Don't let the fact he lines up with his hand in the ground at times fool you. Great use of personnel by Don.
October 20th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
There is some truth to this. PSU scored quickly and scored big when they did. Essentially 21 points off of 3 plays.
They didn't need any more plays than that and the yards that come with them.
October 21st, 2019 at 3:56 AM ^
How much of that was defensive issues on our part, the bad coverage matchups downfield that led to those TD's? Penn State took advantage of that, given that couldn't get to the quarterback on time. Defensively, we did a lot of good things; Penn State just got us big time with three big plays. If Coach Brown doesn't learn from this game, it's going to happen again next weekend.
October 21st, 2019 at 5:54 AM ^
I haven’t heard if he’ll address the media but, I’m interested in Coach Brown’s spin on the game. It might have been alignment advantage or scheme, I’d like to hear from him.
He might not be allowed.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:19 AM ^
Re: Hamler's second TD, there's something going around citing Harbaugh stating they missed a signal and were lined up in cover-0 (was supposed to be another player to cover a middle-of-the-field post route) leaving only Metellus matched up over Hamler so that play was essentially an defensive miscue.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:36 AM ^
This makes sense. Watch the replay - everyone is already aligned when Metellus realizes that Hamler is uncovered, so he runs over from the far side to get in front of him. When the play starts, he realizes immediately that Hamler is going on a deep post and turns to look for the help. No help is there. Metellus really didn't even try to cover him because he was looking for help after moving over late. I have no problem believing that was a missed assignment in the defensive alignment by someone. I have no clue who...
October 21st, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
Fuck...2 dudes are covering the 15 yard bubble area and there's no threat whatsoever...one of them me thinks was supposed to help in deep coverage support. Should've been a timeout.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:50 AM ^
Someone call a damn time out!! Looked like a freakin freshman high school team before that snap.
October 20th, 2019 at 11:59 PM ^
Second thought no need to rehash this. It is what it is.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:00 AM ^
All I care about are these "stats":
- (1) The number of times I saw Josh Uche covering the fastest receiver in the B1G.
- (2) The number of times I saw safeties in single coverage get burned for a long TD by the fastest receiver in the B1G.
I don't know if it's stupidity, lack of self awareness, hubris, false confidence from success against far inferior athletes, etc, etc etc ... But that aspect of the game is what made me realize this staff has learned nothing, and this team has no direction. Just random blips, some good, some bad.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:08 AM ^
It's none of that. It was getting the wrong personnel on the field that was the issue. Harbaugh admitted it.
Even a stubborn Don Brown knows not to put Metellus on Hamler. It wasn't a matter of stupidity, it was a matter of Brown being unprepared and not getting the right guys on the field on time.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
If you don't have a plan to defend the opposition's biggest weapon, in any combination of sub packages, then you were losing the battle before it started. Can you imagine seeing Nico running a go route with a rush linebacker covering him? We'd be thanking the opposition for their ineptitude. It's linebackers covering Saquon Barkley, safeties and slow nickel corners covering track speed OSU receivers on crossing routes, safeties singled up on KJ Hamler, three down lineman on a Goalline QB sneak, Glasgow taking on guards against Wisconsin ... It's just ineptitude. It's as if we don't have tape on opponents. Like every game is a week 1 surprise. Like we had never heard of guys like Saquon or Hamler until we're already down 3 scores. Anymore, I don't even hope for a win on Saturdays, I just want to see a game where I feel like we actually had a plan. If the players don't execute the plan, so be it ... But the plan can't be for Metellus to run with KJ Hamler down the seam with no help. The plan can't be for Jordan Glasgow to stand up a 300lb Wisconsin guard.
October 21st, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
Can you imagine seeing Nico running a go route with a rush linebacker covering him?
Eh, we'd be tearing out our hair in frustration because Shea didn't read the coverage and got sacked again...
October 21st, 2019 at 9:05 AM ^
The bigger question is why is this still happening in year 4 for DB? This isn’t an isolated incident.
October 21st, 2019 at 10:39 AM ^
i dont think it was lack of preparation, i think it was catching us slipping, because the two big plays from hamiler was in one on one coverage and I would think brown is smart enough to know not to leave him alone in one on one, but I will say this, if you see that they are moving him around you need to have things in place where the team can identify that and adapt
October 21st, 2019 at 12:32 AM ^
(1) What play did Uche get burned on when he dropped from the LOS.- ??? I'll help you ... NONE. In fact, he got a sack on one play when he dropped to the LB level after the QB broke out of the pocket. That scheme didn't cost the defense even one first down last night.
(2) I would have played Dax on KJ all night. He did play KJ on some man to man coverage and did fine. Dax is probably the fastest player on the defense.
Go Blue!
October 21st, 2019 at 1:04 AM ^
Uche got roasted and the ball was late and badly underthrown. Easily could've been another walk in TD for Hamler. Zero pressure was generated. The throw was not impacted at all by the defense. It was pitch and catch and we got lucky that the QB missed. Incompetence.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xtRzex0xDCY&t=5118s
October 21st, 2019 at 1:19 AM ^
Wasn’t Uche covering KJ ? To my semi trained eye it looked like he was just carrying him to the safety level where a safety (Metellus ?) came over to make the play. It just so happened that Uche was so fast he was so only a couple steps behind, so it looked like he was covering him.
October 21st, 2019 at 1:32 AM ^
Whether it was Uche or Hawkins responsibility, it's still moronic in my opinion. It's third and long, he's their only real weapon. Put an actual corner with some speed on him, and put a safety over the top. Let your DL generate pressure. Don't gamble.
Im pretty sure Uche had deep middle, basically like how the Bears used to have Urlacher drop like a safety, but he actually had the speed to do it, and he was dropping from a deep MLB position, not bailing out from basically the LOS.
October 21st, 2019 at 6:18 AM ^
It looked like zone that became double coverage. I fail to see where that should have been a touchdown. A perfectly timed and perfectly positioned pass with perfect elusiveness? With those caveats most every pass should have been a TD.
October 21st, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
He was 2 or 3 steps past the underneath guy and the safety was 2 or 3 steps outside, not over the top where he should be. The throw was bad. The play was designed to get pressure, and got absolutely zero pressure. That was the story of the game defensively. We gambled to get pressure. We gambled away 3 long touchdowns, to force 2 sacks and no turnovers. That's an awful trade-off. They never showed a consistent running game or consistent short passing game. Most of the QB runs and scrambles were because our blitzes left the middle of the field completely empty. We're basically throwing our fastball down the center of the plate and hoping they can't hit it. It's a break-don't-bend defense.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:22 AM ^
Good point. Why wasn’t Dax on the field for most of the game? Stumped.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:06 AM ^
How about the misleading stat when the officials helped Penn State gain 20 yards and a touchdown. Or how they took away 40 yards due to a horrible OPI call. Or the could be stats when they took away a drive when they decided Tarik being mugged wasn't enough for DPI.
The stats really aren't that misleading.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:34 AM ^
Congrats, you just named 3 out of 97 plays.
Must have been the refs, can’t shake those odds.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:01 AM ^
How dumb of a response is this?
Literally you could say the same thing for three long PSU touchdowns.
At least try a moment of thinking before writing.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:34 AM ^
Would add to this... The 44 yard run PSU got right after the missed DPI, I don't think it happens without that bad call. The blown calls hurt, but the momentum caused by them in a whiteout hurt just as much.
All that factored in, and Michigan doubles PSU in yardage, which is plenty to overcome the 1 turnover (which also doesn't happen if Michigan doesn't have to call a predictable screen after the blow PI call).
October 21st, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Interestingly enough, those three plays were all called/missed by the same position ref for those few of you who don't think it's possible for someone to be on the take.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
And then when we cut it to seven again what happened?
October 21st, 2019 at 12:13 AM ^
I think this is more of a product of DBs scheme. When it gets home there is no pass attempt. When it gets picked up they get a mismatch. There were a couple times late Uche was on Hamler but they didn't have time to throw.
On the patriots special on NFL network McDaniels talked about how they couldn't find a formation to get adventagous numbers to be successful throwing until late. Once they found the formation they kept using it and the rams had no counter. It wasn't a choice they made and I doubt PSU made a decision to stop exploiting mismatches. Franklin would have no hesitation running it up.
(Pats special)
October 21st, 2019 at 6:10 AM ^
Yes.
The previous 3 games have all been blowouts by the home team. Going from memory here but 2016 49-10 Michigan, 2017 42-13 PSU, 2018 42-7 Michigan....
Penn State would have no problem running it up and 14 points at the half is clearly not an insurmountable lead...so I don't buy the OP's notion that Franklin decided to piss away the entire 3rd quarter.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:43 AM ^
Completely agree, and a point I was going to make if it hadn't been brought up before. Janklin runs up the score against anyone he can possibly do it to - to the point of leaving his starters in late in the 4th and throwing bombs against Hapless SE St U. If he had the chance against Michigan, at home, on national television, he was going to score 70.
He had no chance of doing that.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:13 AM ^
Just stop. We completely outplayed them in the second half.
They were completely destroyed in the 3rd quarter. We were moving the ball through the air and on the ground. They were going nowhere.
A couple big plays aided by some absurd officiating gifted them a 21-0 lead. It should have been, at worst, a 7-10 point game at half.
The better team lost last night...it happens, it sucks. Let's not try to further shit on the team or push the narrative that they suck because we lost.
Yes, PSU won, we lost...but trying to rewrite the narrative that we didn't outplay them in that White Out Game is bullshit. Even up the officiating in the first half, and we win that game by 2 scores in the end.
October 21st, 2019 at 6:55 AM ^
Defeat with dignity!
October 21st, 2019 at 8:50 AM ^
It was the refs fault.
We ran out of time.
My god man. The refs didnt put average safeties 1 on 1 with Hamler. The refs didnt have several critical drops. The refs didnt make Shea see ghosts and bail in the pocket too early.
That first half was on us and thats it.
Jesus dude, we had to take a timeout before the first play to avoid a delay of game. Brutal
October 21st, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
You're too confident by half.
You're probably aware that an event can have more than one cause. Yea, we made mistakes, but those calls had an impact. It's hard to know what would've happened if the OPI in the endzone had been called; if the DPI against Black had been called; if the OPI against Nico had not been called. But those were all terrible calls at high leverage moments. If we were playing Rutgers, go ahead and say we should ignore the effect of bad officiating. But when you're playing a top ten team on the road, it's completely reasonable to argue bad calls were decisive, even if other things were, too.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
How dare your argue with details that don't fit in with the narrative of the trolls.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:14 AM ^
Logged in to neg another grown man without enough emotional coping skills.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:14 AM ^
When you add the TOP defecit of 15.5 minutes, the yardage and first down numbers look a lot less misleading. Let's be honest here; PSU didn't just turtle up in the second half. They were still passing and trying to run a balanced offense, they were just being outplayed. And if you didn't think Michigan was going to score on that last drive, you were one of the only ones. I saw a tired PSU defense all 4th quarter. Just because they were not getting flagged for mugging our receivers doesn't mean it wasn't happening (it was). That's what tired defenses do. That's what PSU's defense did.
October 21st, 2019 at 12:15 AM ^
Let's talk about YOU AND ME